Pouch.



G. A. HUMPHREYS.

POUCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

J7? M EZQ 44M,

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0" WASIIINGTOM D c.

CHARLES A. HUMPHREYS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POUCH.

Application filed June 5, 1913.

To alive/1.0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. HUM- rnnnys, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pouches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pouches for carrying tobacco. coins, and the like, and the object of the invention is to provide a small and neat pouch capable, when closed, of cli'ectually preventing the escape of the contents even though the latter may consist of very finely divided particles, such as smoking tobacco.

Pouches having double draw strings are well known and these will ordinarily retain the contents safely enough if the strings are wound around the neck of the pouch and the ends then tied together; but such pouches are not very convenient to handle, and furthermore are too bulky because considerable material must be provided above the neck of the pouch to prevent the draw strings from accidentally slipping up over the end of the pouch and permitting the pouch to open. :llesidcs this, the draw strings are apt to become untied if the pouch is carried in the pocket of the user.

The object of my invention is to provide a pouch in which these disadvantages are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for rendering the pouch selfopening after the fastening means have been unfastened.

In the preferred form of my device I employ a locking strap in addition to the draw string, and one of my objects is to provide, under such circumstances, means for automatically taking up said strap and stowing it away.

Other details conlrilmting to the general purposes of my invention will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

I accomplish my objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1. and 2 are perspective views from diitferent points showing the pouch closed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the body of the pouch in closed position and the draw string and hacking strap in open position. Fig. 4: is a perspective view showing the pouch fully open and illustrating the manner in which the locking strap is automati- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 771,789.

cally stowed away so to speak. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the open pouch, the plan of section being taken longitudinally through the locking strap and stiffening rib.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The body 1 of the pouch is made of leather, woven fabric or other suitable licxible material and may be lined or unlined as desired. Near the top of the pouch is a row of apertures '2 for receiving a draw string fl and causing the mouth of the pouch to close in small folds in the usual manner. The string passes out through one or a pair of these apertures, and the latter may be protected by an eyelet 1-. if desired, although this is not essential.

rib :3 which is preleral'lly made of light spring steel but may be made of other stiffening material follows the outline of the pouch along a median plane or great circle, one end of said rib being located at or near the point of exit of the draw string. The tendency of this rib is to cause the pouch to open rnltomatically when the draw string is released. Another effect of the rib is to cause the top of the pouch, when closed, to present an approximately rectangular appearance when viewed from above, see for example Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The appearance of the pouch when closed will, of course, be varied somewhat by the wid h of the rib and. the size of the folds at the top of the pouch, but in any event the stiffening rib forms an axis to the pouch, and when the draw string is tight, the tendency thereof is to line up the two sides of the pouch in approximately straight lines extending between the upper ends of the rib. In other words, the draw string when taut tends to lie in two parallel straight lines extending from onecnd of the rib to the other and thus cause the folds to range in straight lines close together. It is desirable that the exit aperture of the draw string pass through the rib, for the rib forms an advantageous guide and facilitates the manipulation of the device.

In the preferred form the pouch is provided with a strap (3 attached to it above the point of exit of the draw string. To obtain the best appearance, said strap should be of approximately the same width as the rib 5, although this is not essential and the proportions may be varied or the strap may be entirely omitted without rendering the device actually inoperative. The strap, however, contributes to the appearance and security of the pouch and is, therefore, desirable. Means are provided for securing the end of the draw string to the body of the pouch. The best fastening means is a snap fastener consisting of a cap 7 attached to the end of the draw string and a button 8 is located upon the body of the pouch for holdii'ig the cap. In the best form said button located upon the rib, which forms a firm support therefor. lVhen the strap (3 is employed its length may be varied, al though at the minimum its length should be sutlicient to form a flap or cover for the closed mouth of the pouch. In the preferred form, however, l. make the strap long enough to reach to the fastener which holds the end of the draw string when the pouch is'closed. These proportions are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in the design shown, the draw string passes through the apertures 9 (see Figs. 2 and The free end of the strap is attached to the free end of the draw string in any suitable manner to produce a finished appearance. The button is so located and the parts so proportioned that when the pouch is closed and the string and strap passed over the top of the pouch and superimposed upon the rib, the button will hold said string and strap taut. k

In operation, when the draw string and strap are unfastened, the pouch tends to assume the configuration shown in Fig. 4, the resilient rib holding the mouth of the pouch open, and, therefore, causing the free end of the draw string to be drawn up closely to the exit aperture 4. Inasmuch as the draw string passes through the strap at approximately the middle point of the latter, the string will, when the pouch is open, draw the strap up close to the side of the pouch and tend to form said strap into two loops, one above and one below the exit aperture, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This brings the strap out of the way, there being no loose swinging ends to bother the user. When it is desired to close the pouch, the user pulls upon the free end of the string and strap, drawing the sides of the mouth of the pouch close together and causing them to come into approximately parallel arrangement as shown in Fig. 3. The strap and string are then passed over and across the closed mouth of the pouch and brought down along over the rib, the cap 7 being finally snapped into place upon the button 8. When the pouch has thus been closed, it is very secure for two reasons: First, the tension of the string prevents the mouth-folds from being drawn apart and permitting leakage; and second, the string is prevented by the strap from becoming accidentally dislodged, the strap having a comparatively broad surface resting upon the rib and being, therefore, firm in its seat upon the rib. Another function performed by the strap is that it forms a seal for the mouth of the pouch and to operates in excluding dust or other particles and in retaining the contents of the pouch. The pouch presents a very neat appearance both when closed and when open, the sides lying flat and maintaining a symmetrical pear-shaped outline when closed. There is no excess material above the draw string and hence there is both a saving of leather or other material and a saving in the amount of space which the pouch occupies. This latter element is of importance to persons accustomed to carrying pouches in their pockets. The device also presents a neat appearance when closed because only a small portion of the draw string is visible when the pouch is closed. The strap 6 is preferably of the same material as the body of the pouch and hence appears to be a part of the pouch itself when the latter is closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

l. A flexible pouch provided with a draw string, there being an exit for said string near the top of one side of the pouch, a strap attached to the pouch near the exit of the draw string whereby the strap may pass across the top of the pouch when closed, the

free end of the string being attached to the free end of the strap, and means for fastening the free ends of said strap and string.

2. A flexible pouch having a resilient median rib, a draw string passing out of the pouch at a substantially median point of the pouch, and detachable fastening means mounted upon the rib for holding the end of the draw string.

3. A flexible pouch having a resilient median rib and a draw string passing out,

through an aperture in said rib.

4-. A; flexible pouch having a resilient rib tending to open the mouth of the pouch, a draw string for holding the pouch closed, and a snap fastener located part on the rib and part at the free end of the draw string for fastening the end of the string.

5. A flexible pouch having a resilient median rib, a strap secured to the pouch at the plane of the rib and adapted to reach over the top of the pouch when closed, a draw string adapted to close the pouch and c0- operating with the strap to hold the pouch in closed position, and means for detachably attaching the end of the strap to the body of the pouch.

6. A. flexible pouch having a median rib of resilient material, a draw string passing out near one end of said rib, a strap secured near the same end of said rib for holding the string across the to of the pouch when closed, the free end of the strap being fastened to the free end of the draw string and means for fastening the free end of the strap and string to the outside of the pouch.

7. A flexible pouch having a resilient median rib, a draw string passing out near one end of said rib, and fastening means for the string, part of said fastening means being mounted at the end of the strap and part upon the rib.

S. A flexible pouch having a draw string, a strap secured to the pouch near the point of exit of the draw string, said string passing through the body of the strap approximately midway between the ends of said strap, the strap and draw string being secured together at the ends, and means for fastening the end of the strap.

9. A flexible pouch having a draw string, a strap secured to the pouch near the point of exit of the draw string, said string passing through the body of the strap approximately midway between the ends of said strap, the strap and draw string being secured together at the ends, and a rib of resilient material following the contour of the pouch along the median plane and tending to open the mouth of the pouch.

10. In combination, a pouch of flexible material, a median resilient rib, a draw string passing out through the end of the rib, a strap secured to the same end of the rib, the end of the strap and the end of the string being secured together and the string passing through the body of the strap between the ends of the strap, and means on the body oi the pouch for detachably fastening the end of the strap.

11. In combination, a pouch of flexible material, a median resilient rib, a draw string passing out through the end of the rib, a strap secured to the same end of the rib, the end of the strap and the end of the string being secured together, the string passing through the body of the strap between the ends of the strap, and means located upon the rib for securing the end of the string when the pouch is closed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. HUMPHREYS.

\Vitnesses: v

HOWARD M. Cox, MARGARET D. Roms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

